Christmas in July
by EuphoniumGurl0
Summary: He's tired of being selfish so he decides to share his garden and his favorite time of year with her. 7 part Drabble
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Heya guys! Firstly, sorry for the long A/N. The other chapters will have none most likely. Second of all, Merry Christmas, and welcome to my Christmas drabble special. This is a short, 7 part series called "Christmas in July" which is originally written for GrangerEnchanted's December Challenge. I decided I would write myself a cute, fluffy, Remus/Hermione story.

Warning: May be a little out of character at times, and it's AU since I decided to leave some characters alive and switch a bit of things. Why? The challenge said I could. Go to GrangerEnchanted (google it; my penname is GenericWit) to see it posted in live time. I don't have to wait for it to be posted there. It automatically is since I'm a pre-validated author there (woot woot!). So, for anyone home and bored... here you go!

Word Count: 3,397 (for the whole story)

Just to save you confusion(I've gotten several PMs), a new chapter will be posted every thirty minutes until chapter 7 comes out at midnight. That's where the story ends.

Enjoy!

Part Un: It started with a touch…

It started with a touch- an accidental brush of her hand on his fingers when she helped him grade third year papers. In reality, it actually started when Flitwick retired and her apprenticeship was either to be transferred to Professor Longfellow or extended to Professor Lupin. She chose Remus.

It continued with a bite- a taste of his favorite Belgium chocolate that he could only afford to buy every few months. Actually, it was watching him eat any piece of chocolate, his eyes fluttering shut and his mouth letting out the faintest of moans as he indulged, that really got to her. He always shared.

It ended with a missed glance- a look of longing that each sent the other but they could do nothing about. Truly, it had begun with heated gazes they hoped the other never noticed, and when they had, they ignored it because of one simple fact. She was his student.

The year passed by in ignorant bliss, Hermione working hard to achieve her goal of perfect N.E.W.T.s and Remus busy making sure the first and second years didn't kill themselves, watching to make sure beasts didn't kill his third and fourth years, and making sure his fifth, sixth, and seventh years didn't kill each other. They worked together almost every night though the apprenticeship only required three to four nights a week to work on spells and independent research. She helped him grade papers, and many times, long past curfew, they could be found in his office drinking tea and discussing life in general. It was always in his office or classroom and never in his rooms. It was always appropriate. There were no lustful words spoken or ginger caresses.

With a wide grin on her face, Hermione pushed the thought of her Defense Professor out of her head. She spoke to the seventh year students who would be on a train in less than twenty-four hours, heading into the real world. She advised them to keep pushing to achieve their goals and to always look on the positive side even when life seemed to be falling apart. She congratulated them on making it through seven years, most of which were plagued with morbid thoughts of dying at the hands of Voldemort himself. Looking around at her peers, she fell silent for a second, not knowing what else to say, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at her two best friends in the front row, beaming at her. Harry's scar looked more faded than malicious, and it caused her to spout appreciation to everyone for making her own seven years at Hogwarts so beautiful.

With her last words said, she raised her wand, fireworks flying into the air. Everyone else followed, and the graduate ceremony officially started. Hermione almost floated back to her seat on the magically elevated stage next to Remus and Draco, who had managed to become second in their year.

"Not bad, Granger," Malfoy said under his breath, prodding her side. She knew it was as close as he would ever come to complimenting her.

She prodded him back, grinning when he poked her back, initiating a very immature poking war of sorts.


	2. Chapter 2

Part Deux: An hour into the ceremony…

An hour into the ceremony, Hermione realized how many students there actually were in her year. She tried to focus on the presentation, but she found herself bored. The ceremony was more for the parents who were crying and frantically clicking away with their magical cameras. It consisted of a name being called out, polite clapping, and several handshakes.

"Dull, dull, dull," murmured Draco.

She ignored his comment though she agreed whole-heartedly. It was dull. If she _had _responded, however, they probably would've started a conversation that would be far past rude.

They had met accidentally in the library and had been studying together ever since. It was easy to develop a friendship from there though both denied this "ludicrous" notion in public. Granger and Malfoy friends? Ha!

She was once again caught up in memories of her times at Hogwarts. She remembered the good- the trips to Hogsmeade and the Yule ball. She remembered the bad- her Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.Ls and almost dying because of a Basilisk. She remembered the exciting- hunting Horcruxes with the help of Dumbledore in her fourth year (before Harry defeated Voldemort using the Elder Wand during the third task of the Triwizard Tournament).

Something slick like parchment slid into her robe pockets. No one seemed to have moved, she noticed out of the corner of her eyes. She took her hands and extracted the note.

She looked at it for a second before realization hit her. It was from Remus. She tried to catch his eye, but he seemed to be pointedly ignoring her, smiling at the passing students on the stage, seeming absolutely captivated by the whole event. To her, though, he always seemed patient and radiant when he was happy. She loved that about him.

"Congratulations.

Join me for a cup of tea if you will.

9P.M.

-Moony"

She felt herself shiver, her suspicions confirmed by his tidy scrawl, much like her own. She wondered briefly if she should reply, but she had no quill and there didn't seem to be a need. He would be there either way, and it was only a few hours away from being nine, anyway.

"You okay, Granger?" Malfoy whispered, noticing the way her body first flushed then stiffened.

"I'm fine, Draco, thanks." She lied. She wasn't fine. She was excited and nervous. It was her last night at Hogwarts, and she was no longer a student after this ceremony. She wanted to tell Remus how she felt, but she knew she wouldn't.


	3. Chapter 3

Part Trois: She was pacing outside his office…

She was pacing outside his office, scared to death. She wore what she wore to graduation minus her big, bulky robes. She had on a simple lilac dress that flapped against her knees during her pacing, her shoes practical white flats.

"C'mon, Hermione. Who knows what he wants to talk to you about? It could be career advice for all you know," she murmured to herself, kicking herself.

What career advice? She hadn't even chosen one. Ideally, she'd love to be invited to stay at Hogwarts to teach, but no positions were currently open, and no one had asked her to stay on to became a student teacher. Normally, that came after years of experience in the field- experience she'd never get if she didn't get a job.

She stopped in front of the door, turning bright red. The Defense door had been charmed years ago to appear invisible from inside. If he was sitting at his office desk, he could see her pacing. Oh fuck.

She knocked on the door three times, not waiting for a response before walking in. Luckily, Remus was nowhere to be found. She breathed a sigh of relief. But then… where was he?

"Hermione?" She heard his voice call. It was too perfect. "I'm in my rooms. Just go toward the statue against the left wall of the gnome and squeeze his nose."

She followed the instructions, and a doorway appeared. She could see Remus from the arch. He was in a small kitchen, brewing tea.

She took a second to look around his rooms. The walls were painted a warm aqua color, and the furniture was brown. She laughed at herself. She was half expecting it to be maroon and gold.

"You're early as usual. How are you doing?" Remus asked, bring two cups of tea toward the coffee table and setting them down. He sat down on the couch and beckoned her to do the same.

"I'm nervous, to be honest. I still don't know what to do. Irresponsible of me, isn't it?" She chastised herself.

"It's understandable. I wanted to be an Auror, but I couldn't. After that, I had no idea what to do with my life… not until the Order returned," Remus said, taking a sip of his tea.

She felt guilty now. He knew what he wanted to do with his life, but he couldn't because of nonsensical laws.

"I'm sorry, Professor," she said, feeling shameful.

"Oh, don't be, my dear. I'm glad things worked out the way they did."

"I am, too. It's like that with Harry, Ron, and I sometimes. We wonder what it would've been like if there wasn't a Voldemort, but things worked out okay for us. I mean, Harry will never have his mum and dad, but he's got you and Sirius and the Weasleys."

"And what about you?" Remus asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Well, who knows how my life would've been? I wouldn't be friends with the people I am, and I'd have never become so close with you," she exclaimed.

It didn't take her but a second to realize how wildly inappropriate that was or the implications that those words held. She may as well have spurted words of love and adoration.

"I'm sorry, Professor," she quickly recovered.

"It's Remus, Hermione." He quickly rectified. "You're not a student anymore."

She stopped her fretting when she felt his hand on hers, his palm also grazing her knee.

Her skirt had managed to slide up, she noted embarrassingly, but she couldn't be bothered with trying to correct it. Not while his strong, callous yet soft hand was touching her smaller one.


	4. Chapter 4

Part Quatre: I wanted to show you something…

"I wanted to show you something," he said, standing up.

All she could do, however, was feel where his hand used to be and where it wasn't now- touching her. She shook the thought quickly from her head when he offered her that same hand. She took it, pulling herself up from the couch.

He didn't let go as he pulled her through his living room and down a winding staircase.

"Watch your step," he cautioned, his voice sounding deep and husky.

She understood the warning as the steps started to get gradually more slippery. She tried to stop, but he kept pulling her downward. When she looked down, she noticed there was ice on them. She bit her lip to keep herself from asking too many questions. If this was one of the old muggle films she watched as a child, he'd be taking her to a freezer to kill her and stash her body… but it wasn't getting any colder. How could there be ice on the steps when it was so warm?

"It's okay to ask questions, Hermione," he said, pulling her along. Just as she opened her mouth, he added, "but let's keep surprises just that."

She rolled her eyes at the boyish laugh that escaped his mouth.

"And… here we are!" He exclaimed when they reached a closed wooden door.

Before she had time to wonder what was behind it, he opened it and pushed her through it.


	5. Chapter 5

Part Cinq: There was snow…

There was snow. There was snow… How was there snow in the middle of summer? It was June.

"Stop thinking for a second and look," he demanded. So, she did.

The view was breathtaking. It was a small square-shaped garden in a court yard. There were vines snaking up all four walls, and the flowers seemed to be in full bloom. There were rose bushes of different colors (and one that even changed colors every few seconds). There were lilies and azaleas and… wow… he even had magical flowers there. They were so vibrant against the snow on the ground. There was a bench by a fountain in the middle, she noticed as she was being led there.

When she sat down next to Remus, she bent down to pick up some of the snow. Even though she felt her feet crunching through it and saw their tracks, she still couldn't believe her eyes. It felt so real, the texture so fluffy. Yet, her hands weren't turning numb or even cold from touching it. She felt as warm as she had on the stage just hours previous.

"This is amazing," Hermione said, her eyes shining as she took it in. She loved winter.

"Isn't it? I love snow, and I love Christmas. I've never had a full moon during Christmas, you know? I always spent it with my family and my friends, just being normal… besides that whole magic thing." He laughed, crossing his legs.

"How did you do this?" She asked turning her full body toward him.

"I didn't. James, Sirius, and Peter did it for me in our sixth year as a Christmas present, ironically enough. They took me here, and I thought it was gorgeous. They made me promise to come back to this garden at least once a month. I didn't understand why until it started to become spring and the snow didn't melt."

"Do you still come here once a month?" She asked, loving the fact that he was sharing his past with her.

Their conversations always tended to be about school or Harry or something that wasn't personal. Now, that's all it was.

"I do. I usually come more. It reminds me of them- of that time. I've been selfish though. I've decided that I'm a big boy now and I should share it," he joked.

His sandy hair, blue eyes, and the way he was smiling right now made her forget all he had been through. Right now, he just seemed like a boy enjoying the first snowfall of the year.

"Why me?" She asked honestly, hoping that his answer would be what she wanted to hear because she was desperate for it now.

"Because I want it to be Christmas," he said, coyly, loosely throwing his arm around her shoulder when she leaned back.

She sighed deeply, wondering if this all had to be so innocent.


	6. Chapter 6

Part Six: Fate was cruel…

Fate was cruel to do this to her. Everything was storybook- picture perfect with a prince charming and an unconventional love story, but her prince charming didn't seem to want to make any moves on her. That was the problem with modern life. Of course, she was probably just wrong about all of this. Maybe he considered her just a really good friend. Maybe he was just going to tell her he was going to miss her. Maybe this wasn't a romantic scene like in her romance novels.

"You seem frustrated. What's wrong?" He asked her, his voice soft and concerned. "Do you want to go back inside?"

"It's nothing, really. I love being here with you. I'm still just a little confused as to why you're showing me this."

"I think you know why you're here. Besides, I told you that I want it to be Christmas."

"You told me that, but I don't know what it means. To be honest, your arm around me is burning me right now!" She yelled.

He retracted it at once and looked hurt.

"It's so hard to be around you like this. I can't deny that anymore. A part of me is so glad I'm getting away from this."

He watched her with a hurt expression on his face, not moving from his spot but breaking off all contact. She slapped her hand against her face and sighed loudly.

"I want you, and I thought when you called me here, when you called me into your rooms, when you took me here, that maybe… maybe I wasn't mistaken. You know, girls usually can tell when a bloke likes her, but I always was off base with you. And you're making it worse with the teasing. Why are you doing this?" She screamed, deciding to lose control of herself.

It was her last day. If all else failed, she could leave tomorrow and never speak to him again. If things went well… well, she couldn't think of it that way. She didn't want to be disappointed.

She sighed, dropping her head.

"I want it to be Christmas," he repeated quietly.

"Urgh. You know, you've said that."

"Listen to me. I want it to be Christmas. _You_ are my Christmas wish."

She sat there for a second, feeling foolish, relieved, and smug at the same time. But wait… what did he just say?

"I can't give you a random proclamation of love because I've not yet been in love so I do not know how that feels like. I can't give you an empty promise. What I can give you is this: me. I wanted to invite you down here and get you in a good mood so that I could ask you out on a proper date. I know that not everyone would approve of it, but Harry and Sirius know how I feel, and they're alright with it. I see I've buggered everything up. I should've just been direct. I understand if you want to leave."

She watched him stand up and walk through a door at the opposite end of the garden. He wanted to her. He liked her. He was going to ask her on a date. Merlin. She fucked it up. How could someone as wonderful as Remus like a silly little chit like her?


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: New chapter of What Fates Impose will be up within a week or two probably.

Merry Christmas and enjoy the last part!

Part Sept: She was 18 years old…

She was 18 years old but felt a lot younger. Not that feeling foolish would stop a true Gryffindor from getting up from the bench and running through the doors.

She saw him sitting with his back against a red couch, facing the fireplace, soft music she recognized playing in the background. Not only was it muggle music, but it was "Winter Wonderland."

"Later on, we'll conspire as we dream by the fire to face unafraid, the plans that we've made… walking in a winter wonderland," he sang along.

Unabashedly, she walked to the fireplace and plopped down next to him, taking his hand in hers.

"So, it's Christmas in June, huh?" She asked softly, afraid to mess things up even further.

"The muggle saying says July, but June works too, I figure," he said, his eyes not meeting hers.

"The fact is… you've been my Christmas wish for the past few years, and I never thought I had a chance, and now that I know I do, I can't take 'no' for an answer. Will you have a coffee or… eggnog… with me sometime this week?"

His chin raised up to meet his blue eyes with her brown ones. A smile graced his face once more, and he looked more youthful than she'd ever seen him.

"I guess since no isn't an option, my answer would have to be yes." The right side of his mouth twitched upward in a half smile.

With a gleam in his eye, he stood up, pulling her up with him and twirled her in a circle, enclosing her in his arms. Even though the song was in its final verse, he started to dance with her.

She giggled like the schoolgirl she no longer was and wrapped her arms around his neck. He grinned wolfishly and ducked his head down to kiss her.

When their lips met for that first kiss, she thought she would've fallen down if he wasn't holding on to her. Luckily, he held on tight, his dry lips quickly becoming wet from their joined mouths.

When they pulled apart, Remus took one hand off her and reached into his pocket.

"And just so you don't feel like we're moving too fast…" he trailed off, pointing his wand above them.

Her eyes followed the light. Tears were brought to her eyes when she saw mistletoe hanging above them. She laughed, collapsing against him.

"I don't have any kind of a comment for that, but I do have a question. If mistletoe is for kissing, what's the symbol for shagging?"

She noticed the flames and desire burning in his eyes, but there was still a lopsided grin on his face. "Well, my dear, in the Christian religion, I believe the symbol for sex is wedding bells or children."

She shook her head with laughter, pulling him against her.

"Happy Christmas, Remus."

"Happy Christmas, Hermione. Now, I do believe there is a bedroom right over there," he said, picking her up and carrying her through the door.


End file.
